Another object that’s been known since antiquity is Berenice’s Hair in the constellation Coma Berenices. The true nature of this grouping of stars remained uncertain for a long time. Philibert Jacques Melotte included this object in 1915 in his Catalog of Star Cluster as Melotte 111. Finally in 1938 Robert Julius Trumpler proved that Melotte 111 was a true cluster. Latest calculations have put the cluster at a distance of 288 l-y. Only the Hyades and the Ursa Major Cluster are closer. Thanks to the cluster’s proximity, many of its stars can be seen without optical aid on a clear night.

With a pair of binoculars, the view is marvelous. The cluster is almost too large to behold in the field of view of my 8x56 binoculars. The sky-background looks devoid of faint field-stars. This fact makes the cluster members stand out even brighter against the empty sky. The bright star in the top left quadrant of the sketch is Gamma Comae.

Observing data:
Date : April 7, 2008
Time : around 21.30UT
Binoculars : Bresser 8x56
FOV: 5,9°
Filter : none
Mount : Trico Machine Sky Window
Seeing : 2,5/5
Transp. : 2,5/5
Nelm : 4,8
Sketch Orientation : N up, W right.
Digital sketch made with PhotoPaint, based on a raw pencil sketch.